Tag: Racquel Henry

What Mare Read in 2025

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This year I read 79 books/novella’s, down quite a bit from last year. I spent a lot of time during the late summer and fall editing the book I’m writing, so that obliterated a chunk of my reading time… When I decided to do another revision on the book, all those hours spent on editing seemed like a waste, but I learned a lot about my own writing foibles, so not a total squandering of my time. The revising continues…

I keep lists of books I want to read everywhere ~ one on my phone Reminders list, one on the phone Notes, plus an Excel spreadsheet ~ LOL! The Reminders list is titled B&N and comes in handy when Barnes & Noble runs their 25% off pre-order sales, which are almost as exciting to me as the Scholastic book sales at school many moons ago. I love the anticipation of getting a new book in the mail weeks or months later ~ it’s always good to have something to look forward to! 😊 The 25% preorder sale is on now until 1/1/26, for B&N Rewards members.

I ran through the two Barnes & Noble book journals (See the 2024 post) I used to record and review the books I read, so I bought a pretty notebook (below, right). The journal only allowed one page per book, with specific information to fill out and a star rating system ~ not much room to write my thoughts. Since the notebook I’m using now is just simple, lined pages, I can write as much as I want about each book without squishing my writing and sometimes adding sticky notes. Loving the freedom! YAY!

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A Little Holiday Reading

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The second of The Five Blogs of Christmas is all about the books. Who doesn’t love a holiday romance?? Here’s a few I’ve read in the last few months, with additional recommendations in links below to past holiday reading fun.

Grace and Henry’s Holiday Movie Marathon   Matthew Norman

I cried through the entire first chapter. Then I belly laughed through the second. Grace lost her husband to cancer in January, then she and her kids, Ian and Bella, adopted a dog on the way home from the funeral. Henry lost his wife in a plane crash in January and he hasn’t returned to their home in 10 months. Their mother’s scheme to get them together for a ridiculous, obvious meet cute. With the theme of holiday movies for each chapter, they grow closer in some ways, largely, in the beginning, because they understand completely what the other is going through. But Henry bonds with Ian, who’s trying to win an art contest at school. Bella’s a little harder to crack, like her mother. Both have near misses with other people. And they gradually begin the process of coming back to the real, painful world. There is so much honest, real chaos in both their lives, that the other makes better. Matthew Norman writes about the messiness of relationships, both romantic and platonic, with such ease. I highly recommend all of his books!

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Fave Books by Black Authors

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In honor of Black History Month, I’ve compiled a list of books I’ve enjoyed, written by black authors. If I try to give a description of each one, I’ll never get it done. I’ve been trying to do an LGBTQ+ book list with full descriptions but for some reason, it’s been daunting. Probably because I’ve tried to keep my writing focus on the edits of my first book, a cozy mystery, which I plan to publish sometime this year. Believe it or not, when I do a blog post, it takes plenty of time and research to make sure I’ve got all the details right. Plus, there’s lots of personal and political stuff taking up a bunch of my attention, too.

So, if any of these authors/titles pique your interest, please check them out at your favorite booksellers or at the library. Or pick up the middle grade and YA for your young readers (and yourself, of course. Great stories come in all age categories!)

And give these authors some social media love, too!

If you have some recommendations, I’d love to hear them in the comments. C’mon, share!

Happy Reading!

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Some Holiday Reading

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Here are a few of the holiday books I read these last few months. Remember, if it’s a little late in the season for you, holiday stories can be read all year long! Same for movies-I watch The Holiday, While You Were Sleeping and Desk Set several times a year.

Christmas Magic at Holly Oaks – Racquel Henry

Originally written as a movie script, you can definitely imagine this as a Hallmark Holiday rom-com. It’s a story of second chances, featuring Rose, a Christmas hater, whose sister plunks her right in the middle of the Christmas Capital of the US. Where she promptly runs into Malcolm, the man who broke her heart nine years earlier. When the Holly Oaks Tree Farm – beloved by everyone in town and a special favorite for Malcolm – experiences a crisis, Rose steps in. And Holly Oaks begins to work its magic. A fun novella with characters you’ll love.

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Looking for Some Holiday/Winter Reading?

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I usually don’t seek out holiday books like I do holiday movies, but this year, I find myself reading to a winter theme. Some are part of cozy mystery series, but you can read them as stand-alone stories. Maybe some will even pique your interest!

The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews ~ After a painful divorce, Ivy and her dog, Punkin, move to a rural farm to begin the adventure of their new life. The discovery of a child’s note in the pocket of a Santa suit in the attic sets Ivy on a mystery that brings her friendship, love, and the life she could only dream about. I’m planning to make this an annual read because it was so lovely and satisfying.

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Things I Like Thursday – Write Before Christmas

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I wanted to see this movie on the recommendation of Racquel Henry, the owner of Writer’s Atelier, a group I belong to.  But I couldn’t find it streaming anywhere, so I ended up buying it.  Good decision!

As you’d expect of a Hallmark Christmas romance, it’s light and fun and full of romantic miscues but also has its share of orphans, loneliness and an adorable dog looking for his furrever home.  Here’s the story-Jessica, newly single again, takes Christmas cards intended for the guy who just broke up with her and sends them to five people with notes telling them how they have influenced her life for the better:

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